Guatemala City is located in the department (territorial division) of Guatemala, and it's the capital of the country. All the main highways start at Kilómetro 0, located inside Palacio Nacional de la Cultura (National Palace), in Centro Histórico (Historic Center).

Guatemala City became the capital after Antigua Guatemala had been destroyed by an earthquake in 1773. With a population of around 3 million people, Guatemala City is the largest and most modern city in Guatemala. It can be interesting to visit "Guate," as it is also called by the locals. Guatemala City has attractions and restaurants, often with few tourists. Sunday evenings' gatherings of hundreds of locals at the main plaza is certainly an unforgettable experience.

INGUAT, 7 Avenida 1-17, Zona 4. Travellers have mixed reports about the service being unreliable here at the official travel office. There is little written material You can get some nice posters for Q6, and if you bring your own blank CD, they will copy some marimba music for you. Although it holds a repelling reputation for violent crime, Guatemala is also known for its good-natured, friendly citizens.

Guatemala City has one big airport called La Aurora. There are daily arrivals from the US, México, El Salvador, Honduras (San Pedro Sula, Tegucigalpa), Costa Rica (San José), Nicaragua (Managua), Panamá. The number of arrivals is in parentheses.

The online newspaper Prensa Libre has live arrival and departure information for the airport. [1]

There are always taxis at the airport. They operate with fixed prices (around $12US from the airport to Zona 10) that are 2-3 times higher than what you would pay for the same distance with an ordinary taxi. If your hotel is in Zona 10, chances are high that there is a free shuttle service.

There is also a bus route operating the road that passes the airport that will take you to Zona 10 at around La Reforma and 12 Calle. If you are going to the old city center (Zona 1), many buses go that way from La Reforma or from 7 Avenida that runs in parallel with La Reforma, one block away.

Regular shuttles run to Antigua each day, several times a day from 6AM to 8PM (prices $8–12US per person).

CA-1 is part of the Pan-American Highway and comes from the border with Mexico near Tapachula through the western highlands. Within the city, CA-1 is first Avenida Roosevelt, then Boulevar Liberacion and then Bulevar Los Proceres. It then becomes Carretera an El Salvador outside of the city and it leads to the Chinamas border with El Salvador.

In almost any town in Guatemala, you will find a bus that eventually will take you to Guatemala City. The second-class extra-urbanos are often crowded and uuncomfortable but cheap. Expect to pay around Q10 per hour if you are a foreigner. There are also various first-class buses from some of the larger cities and from neighboring countries (Belize, México, El Salvador and Honduras). Most buses end up in Zona 1 or Zona 4.

NOTE:As of January 2007, there has been a transition to a new mass transit system that has more or less removed buses from their normal terminals in Zona 1 and Zona 4. Guatemala City is currently converting to a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, where intercity buses bringing in riders from other parts of the country drop them off at different stations at the periphery of the city, and the privately-owned municipal bus system brings them to their respective destinations within the city. Currently, intercity buses heading in the direction of Antigua can be found at the Plaza del Mariachi at the periphery of Zona 3. This arrangement is currently in flux, however, with the bus cooperative members fighting for a legal right to use the old terminals in Zona 1 and Zona 4 again. It would be best for travelers to consult locals to find out what the situation is instead of going anywhere for the buses.

Buses to all of Guatemala leave from various parts of the City. An overview is on this map: [2].

The city is divided into 21 zones (zonas). Zona 1 is the old historic center. Here are the national palace, the presidential palace, the cathedral, the main plaza, and the Central Market. South of Zona 1 is Zona 4, with many of the official buildings like the national bank, the national theatre, and the tourist board (INGUAT). Farther south is Zona 10 and Zona 9, divided by Avenida La Reforma. Zona 10 hosts most of the high class hotels, restaurants, bars, shopping facilities. A small part of Zona 10 is called Zona Viva (the lively zone) because of its nightlife.

The common way to get around in Guatemala City is by bus or taxi. If you walk, make sure to do so accompanied. Traveling inside the city by bus costs Q1.00, but a few routes cost Q1.10 (then, there is see a sign in the window), and all buses charge Q1.25 on Sundays). The buses end at 8PM It is not advisable to take the bus after dark as there are many robberies on the buses.

Recently, Guatemala Municipality has established a system of buses called "Transurbano" and "Trasmetro" which is a similar service to The Metro but on bus on the street. To use this system you can buy a pre-paid card in various places of the city, and there is a special card for tourists. You can also just pay with Q1 coins at the stations. Routes and stops are predefined and each trip costs Q1. At some points can be transhipped and can reach almost any area of the capital city with this system. This system is constantly growing and is much safer than traditional buses, with police surveillance, security cameras, panic button, GPS. You can check the routes and stops on the system website [3] and [4]

There are two kinds of taxis: the ones with a meter and the ones on which you have to agree on a price before the trip. Of the metered taxis, the best service is given by Taxis Amarillo (yellow cabs). It is not possible to hail them in the street so you have to call 1766. They will demand an address (they can sometimes by quite picky about getting an exact address: look around at nearby houses, and give the correct zona) and normally a telephone number, so it might be wise to have someone call on your behalf from a restaurant or so. With Amarillo, every trip is logged, and riding is considered safe.

The other kind of taxis are white. With these you have to negotiate a price, and as you are a tourist/foreigner, they most likely will demand more than the normal fare. Normally, the white taxis should be cheaper, but unless you negotiate well, the yellow taxis might actually be the cheaper choice. Also is also the question of safety. There are approximately 800 unregistered/unlicenced/stolen white taxis circulating the city. If you do find a white taxi who is decent, the driver will be happy to give you a card and pick you up if you call in advance; many locals who can afford the odd taxi have their favorite "taxista" whom they call, and the drivers themselves can refer you to another reliable driver should they be busy. The minimum price for a metered cab ride is 25Q.

Antique churches provide the capital city with a very special historic and architectural touch, such as Cerrito del Carmen, Catedral Metropolitana, Calvario, Iglesia de Santo Domingo, Iglesia de Yurrita, and Iglesia de la Merced. The archaeological site of Kaminal Juyú is located within this capital city, which according to specialists, is a city buried under one of the most commercial areas of the city, comprising Zona 7 and Zona 11.

Guatemala's National Palace, now known as the "National Palace of Culture"

Mapa en Relieve, ☎+502 2254-1114. Located at Minerva Park, at end of Av. Simon Cañas, Guatemala Zona 2 Entrance is Q16 and it's open daily 9-5 This relief map depicting Guatemala's precipitous topography is so immense you have to view it from an observation tower. What makes it even more amazing is that it was built in 1904, before satellite or even aerial photography.

Ixchel Museum of traditional costumes, ☎+502 331-3638/34FORMAT. 6 Calle final, Zona 10, at the campus of Universidad Francisco Marroquín. Mon-Fri 9:00-17:00 Sat 9:00-13:00. Q25 adults, Q15 students. A large collection of traditional costumes, information on weaving and dying techniques, the processing of the materials in use, the history and development of the traditional costumes and a collection of paintings by Carmen Pettersen. The explanations are in both English and Spanish. The museum also has a shop where you can get fine examples of Guatemalan artesania. The prices are higher than at the markets, but the quality is also higher and the selection is good. The shop also has a variety of books, including its own series of publications about the traditional costumes of Guatemala, hard to come by in other book stores, and also the book The Maya of Guatemala - life and dress (with text in English and Spanish) by Carmen Pettersen, for Q465 (raised because the book is now out of print).

Popol Vuh Museum, ☎+502 361-2301/11FORMAT. 6 Calle final, Zona 10, at the campus of Universidad Francisco Marroquín. Mon-Fri 9:00-17:00 Sat 9:00-13:00. Q35 adults, Q15 students, Q15 for permission to take pictures (without flash), Q25 for video. The museum has no particular focus on the Popol Vuh as the name suggests, but has a rather nice collection of archaeological items from the pre-Hispanic Mayan world. There is also a room dedicated to Colonial items. The explanations are in both English and Spanish.

Archaeology and Ethnology Museum, 7 Avenida, Zona 13. Presents an archaeological sample of the Mayan civilization. This is where you find the famous Tikal mask.

Museum of Modern Art, 7 Avenida, Zona 13. This is directly across from the Archeology and Ethnology Museum and the ticket from it should get people into both.

Aurora Zoo, Zona 13. See local and exotic animals in a decent environment. Make sure to listen to the songbirds that gather in the trees above.

Kaminaljuyu, Zona 7. An early Maya ruin right in the heart of the city. The buildings are mostly mounds, however, the excavations have opened up a lot of areas that are interesting to tour.

Palacio Nacional, Zona 1, can be seen via free guided tours (40Q if your not a Guatemalan citizen) that operate every 15 minutes, and last about 30 min. You can see the interior courtyards and official function rooms, decorative artwork and wall murals, as well as a small statue commemorating the end of the civil war: a pair of hands that hold a fresh rose.

Jardines Botánico, Calle Mariscal Cruz 1-56, Zona 10, ☎+502 334 6064. First botanical garden in Central America. Houses a large variety of indigenous and exotic plant species in a mature, well-maintained facility. The garden is part of the Museum of Natural History--a operation of UCA.

Recreational activities can be done as well, from climbing volcanoes (Agua and Pacaya), to swimming in several recreational facilities, as well as water sports in Lago de Atitlán (lake).

For recreation, you can visit 4 Grados Norte: pedestrian roads that offer great entertainment, commerce and cultural activities, and Zona Viva, an area of Zona 10 that has become the main center for nightlife. Guatemala City is an urban center with cultural diversity, cosmopolitan as well as traditional, in which traditional and folkloric abundance stands out, with legends such as El Cadejo or La Llorona. The city offers the tourist all the services and commodities and is normally the center of operations to set out to any of the other destinations in the Republic.

Shopping at the Central Market

Every Sunday hundreds of People stroll at the Main Plaza ("Plaza Mayor")in Zona 1, where music, arts and food is provided

Cinema

Magic Place, Avenida Las Americas, Zona 14.

Los Proceres

La Pradera

Miraflores.

Tikal Futura

Pradera Concepcion. Newest cinemas in Guatemala with IMAX Theater

Fútbol

If you want to experience a fútbol game in a fútbol nation, spend a Sunday morning/afternoon at Estadio Mateo Flores. You can catch a match of the most popular fútbol club in the country, CSD Municipal ("Los Rojos"). Tickets are cheap and you can get them at the stadium entrance. Go to [6] to see when there is a local match. "Palco" is the most expensive seating with ample spaced seats followed by "Preferencia", "Tribuna",where the "hinchas", or fanatics, sit and "General Sur y Norte" which are the cheapest. The first three are best for a good view.

The other big Guatemala City fútbol team is Comunicaciones ("Los Cremas"). If Municipal isn't playing, go see Comunicaciones play as they both share "Estadio Mateo Flores" as their home venue.about 12

LiveGuate (LiveGuate Tours), 16 Ave. 20-60 (Zona Viva), ☎+502 4149-5025. 24/7. Visit the highlights of the city with this comprehensive and educational tour. Tours run daily, call in advance. Private transportation and tour service is available throughout the entire country.89.00.

Oxford Language Center, 20 Calle 23-59, Zona 10. Tel +502 2368-1231, +502 2368-1332, [7]. A small, friendly language school specializing in English, but also offering several other languages including Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, Mandarin, Dutch, French, Italian, and German, which are taught exclusively by native speakers. This school gives personal service with payment required up front, no refunds. Oxford Language Center also has a second location in Coban.

IGA - Instituto Guatemalteco Americano, ☎+502 338-5555, fax: +502 338-4571, e-mail: cursosiga@iga.edu. Ruta 1 4-05, Zona 4. Teaching in small groups, normally 1-5 students. 7 levels, starting at basic level. More weight on grammar than the typical language schools in Antigua, with some courses on just practicing. The price is around Q850 for a course of 2 hours a day (Mon-Fri), seven weeks (approximately). You can get a discount if you only plan to follow part of the course. The classes are from 9-11 or 11-13 and you can combine two classes. The students are from all over the world, many of them children or spouses.

Easy-Fácil, 14 Avenida 13-68, Oakland, Zona 10, ☎+502 2337-3970, +502 2368-1187, e-mail: easyfacil@hotmail.com. Private teacher. It is run by linguists (a university lecturer in Spanish Literature, a British citizen with many years experience in teaching English), it has professional teachers, and it is located in the best area of the city; so it is more expensive but promises better results. Attracts a range of clients from diplomats to children.

Academia Europea, 15 Calle 2-64, Zona 10. Tel 2363-5760, 2368-1002, [8]. Most of the teachers (in other languages) from this academy teach their native language. It has taken a large portion of the market for language learning because of its unique and patented system.

Guatemala is famous for its textiles. In the city you should be able to find textiles from all over the country. If you are particularly interested in Guatemala or the Maya, you might find books (in Spanish) here that are hard to get anywhere else. For books in English, you get better prices at an online bookstore like Amazon in most cases.

Centro guatemalteco de textiles, 5 Calle 9-41, Zona 1. Ceramic, wood and fabrics by the yard (Q15-25). Can't compete with the selection at Lin-Canola, but cheaper. In the same street you will find more shops with fabrics in the same price range, but none with the selection of Lin-Canola.

This street has undergone massive changes in the last year and is now free of street vendors. Now almost fully pedestrianized, it is best experienced on a Sunday afternoon or early evening. Several coffeeshops and restaurants.

The Airport is going through remodeling in phases. The first phase, the North wing, has been finished as of December 2007. It is a modern design with nothing to envy from airports in developed nations. Phase two will see the construction of the South wing. When finished, the airport is said to be the most modern and largest airport in Central America being able to tend to 32 airplanes of different sizes at one time.

One thing you should take home with you from Guatemala is the prize winning rum Ron Zacapa Centenario. If you don't drink, somebody else is bound to be very happy for a bottle of this exquisite rum. The price tag is around $45 for a full liter, slightly cheaper than at a supermarket. Note that there are two duty-free shops. The fancy one everybody passes by on the way to/from the gates and one at the end of the terminal behind Gate 11. The latter one is about 20% cheaper for Ron Zacapa rum. The souvenir shops have some nice things if you need some last minute gifts before you leave the country (a bit more expensive than the markets, but not too bad). The books they sell at the airport are ridiculously expensive, double or triple price of a bookstore.

Visa is the most common credit card for use in ATMs. In the main shopping areas, especially in Zona 10, you should have no trouble finding an ATM that takes Visa.

There is a Visa/MasterCard ATM at the south side of the central plaza 8 Calle 5-36, a Visa-only ATM at 5 Avenida 9-39, and a MasterCard only at the corner of 5 Avenida/11 Calle, all in Zona 1.

Note that ATM key pads can be oriented with the 9 at the top left with the numbers descending right and down, or with the 1 at the top left with numbers ascending. If you have a spatial memory and have memorized the motion of punching in your PIN instead of the actual numerical sequence, you might be in for a surprise!

==Banks== (International) CitiBank or Citi is found throughout the country! The retail branch in La Antigua Guatemala is a fine place to bank and perform international transactions.

You can find quite an array of American fast food restaurants (McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, etc.) as well as Pollo Campero which is the most popular Guatemalan fast food chain. Fast food restaurants in Guatemala are very clean and accessible only to the middle class.

Though a little risky, there are great street vendors that offer a variety of good local foods. Just remember to scope out the one with the best hygiene. This is the most more local.

"Shucos" can be found in carts that are usually parked in between "Estadio del Ejercito" and "Campo Marte" zona 5. They are comparable to a super charged hot dog with guacamole, meats such as "longaniza", "chorizo", bacon etc... Just make sure you get the one with everything (Con todo).

"Mangoes or Cucumbers with Salt, Pepitoria & Limón"You can also get sliced fruit such as magoes with "pepitoria" (roasted, crushed pumpkin seeds), salt, and lemon in a small clear bag. Or sliced oranges from carts all over the city.

"Gauchitos" are also good cart foods. They are basically a pattie with scrambled egg, "chimichurri" and some dressings on a bun. You can find them in various places throughout the city. One favorite is on the "Mirador" on Carretera an El Salvador. It sits adjacent to Cafesa, diner like restaurant, on an outlook overlooking the city. You can order a "Súper Gauchito", a soda, and sit and admire the hustle and bustle of the city below.

"Atol de Elote" Is a very local and custom drink made from a corn (maize) base. It's somewhat sweet and a drink you must try. It's very rich so if you're not too hungry you can substitute it for a meal. The best place to try it is on the outlook on the other side of the city leaving towards Antigua. Just before you get to San Lucas. Its also another place where you can sit and admire the city from atop a mountain.

Hacienda Real, ☎+502 2368-1168, +502 2333-5408/9FORMAT. 13 Calle 1-10, Zona 10. One of the best places for steak. Try the tortillas with guacamole, frijoles (beans) and chorizo for starters, and the steak pimienta as the main course. Main dish Q70-140. Serves a free, delicious caldo while you wait for the meal.

FRIDAS, ☎+502 2333-7473, +502 2368-0686. 3a AVE 14-60, Zona 10. Mexican food. Main dish Q35-60. Chicken fajitas, Tortilla soup, pechuga de pollo en salsa de mango, pay azteca, a la flauta flautas, and for starters the queso fundido mixto (melted cheese with mushrooms) are all good. The best margaritas in Guatemala, but watch out when they ask you what kind of tequila you would like in/with it - the price might rise from the normal Q29 to Q85.

Donde Mikel, 13 Calle 5-19, Zona 10. Great place for steak and shrimps. Often full, so book in advance, or show up early.

Tapas y Cañas, ☎+502 2367-2166. 13 Calle 7-78, Zona 10. Spanish tapas. Try pinchos españoles, pinchos de pollo and albondigas de lomito. You have a choice between sitting in the restaurant or in the bar.

tacontento, 2a Avenida 14-06, Zona 10, across the street from the Intercontinental Hotel. Serves excellent tacos for Q20-28 per set of three. Try the spicy pulled pork tacos. The crowd is a mix between hip locals and foreigners.

San Ángel, Carretera an El Salvador. Great view of the city, especially at night; security is VERY tight, so you can eat with no worries. Try the lomito and the one called Mar y Tierra (Sea and Land): you get a large steak and big shrimps.

Santa Catarina Pinula (suburb just above Zona 10 and the airport)

This town is historically famous for its pork products, and the best tasting, cleanest, most authentic place around is "La Cabanita" which is a quarter block directly south of the cathedral. Fresh "carnitas" Guatemalan style, plus "chicharrones", "longanizas", etc... if you're a fan of those exotic dining-gems from the Food or Travel channels then you'll love this place.

Tiendas, little grocery stores (with any name imaginable) that you can find all over the city; you can get soft drinks, beer, bread, candy, combs, razors, pens, toilet paper, any kind of snack you can think of, phone cards (some of them), etc.; cash only

4 Grados Norte. Is a cultural district located in Zona 4 in Guatemala City. It was a project of the municipality to convert this area into an attractive pedestrian area in 2002. Additionally, many green areas were created. Today the district also features bars, restaurants, shopping and cultural activities and has become one of the city's trendy and open minded areas, competing with Zona Viva in Zona 10.The most interesting places are perhaps the ones just outside the main street. More recently has become less popular and developed a poor reputation.

Bodegita del Centro, 12 Calle 3-55, Avenidas 3/4, Zona 1.

El Portal, inside the complex (entrances from 8 Calle, 9 Calle and 6 Avenida) facing Parque Central, Zona 1. Supposedly Che Guevaras favorite place when he lived in Guatemala City in the early '50s.

ONE Restaurant+Lounge, 14 Calle 4-74, Zona 10, ☎+502 2368-0724, +502 2337-3903. ONE is a contemporary restaurant and lounge with an avant-garde design. 25% off from 4PM through 8PM, Monday through Friday. Wednesday and Saturday is Ladies' Night with 2x1. For RSVP: +502 5736-6117.Main dish Q70-190.

El Establo, Zona 10.

Kahlua. Zona 10

The gay circuit in Guatemala is somewhat extensive, and it is growing every day.

Genetic, Near 4 Grados Norte. 8PM - 1AM. It is Guatemala's biggest gay club, where you can get for free if you come before 9PM. It has two floors, and shows a variety of music: from Latin beats to europop.$12.00.

Hotel Spring, 8 Avenida 12-65, Zona 1, ☎+502 232-2858. Double Room $22. English spoken. Situated in the colonial house, it has a nice cafeteria in the courtyard. But one annoying thing is that the entrance to the bathroom is very low, expect to bang your head at least once. It also provides internet access, but the prices are a bit steep. Apart from that clean and pleasant.

Xamanek Student Inn, 13 calle 3-57 Zona 10, ☎+502 2360-8345, e-mail: xamanek@mayaworld.net. Prices from $15 dorm rooms and $35 for private rooms including taxes, continental breakfast, full kitchen access and internet. Although this is in an area of nightlife and great restaurants, there is an inexpensive local place to eat at nearby (as well and a McDonalds also if you go to that sort of place). You can walk to the Museos Popul Vuh and Ixchel and to the Archaeological Museum and the zoo from there. Reservations are recommended, but they can be done via e-mail.

Quetzalroo Backpackers, 6ta Avenida 7-84 zona 10, ☎+502 5746-0830. Quetzalroo backpackers is a hostel located in the financial district (near the airport). And is easy to find, as it's neighbors with the McDonalds in Zona 10. The atmosphere has the laid back Aussie aspects from Jodie and the local knowledge of Manuel, who are the owners.The rooms go for dorm USD$15; Single USD$20; Double USD$35.

Comfort Hostel, 17 Calle 14-35 Zona 10, ☎+502 2367-0754, e-mail: info@comforthostel.com. A new breed of personalized, first class service hostel, located at Guatemala City's most exclusive area, only 10 minutes to the airport, and 5 minutes to Zona Viva.

There are phone booths spread out generously over the whole city. Most of them are from the company Telgua, some from Telefónica, and most take only phone cards. Look for the sign Ladatel or Telefonica both on the phone booths and the places that sell the cards.

There are 3 cellular airtime service providers in this country. GSM frequencies used are 850, 900, and 1900 MHz. If you have an unlocked cell phone that can use one of these three frequencies, you’ll find prepaid SIM cards for sale. Should your phone be of the wrong sort to use locally, very cheap prepaid phones with airtime are said to be available for as little as 150-200 GTQ.

The main post office is in 7 Avenida/12 Calle, Zona 1. A stamp for a postcard to Europe costs around Q4. The postal system in Guatemala has a reputation for not being very reliable, and many Guatemalans have a P.O. Box in Texas where they receive post/magazines/online purchases (brought to Guatemala by courier). You can buy stamps or post mail only at the post offices or affiliates.[11]

Guatemala City has a high level of crime. Check the U.S. Embassy website [12] for a summary of recent crimes against foreigners. These include carjackings on the road from the airport, robberies and assaults of tourist vans, and ordinary buses and cars.

Even though it has a high level of crime, if you use some common sense and good travel practices, you should not be exposed to any of it. Make sure you sharpen your street smarts because as with any other big metropolitan urban area, you might be exposed to crime. Just make sure you are aware of your surroundings at all times just as you would be in any big city around the world.

If you experience a robbery, please be advised to give away anything the robbers want. Though some would suggest to just stay inside in most places after sunset, at night you can have fun safely in Zona Viva (Zona 10), Zona 14, or 4 Grados Norte.

But despite some of its negative aspects, Guatemala City is the largest Central American capital city, and one of the most beautiful in Latin America, with varied and rich culture. It is important that visitors not return to their hotels too late, and that they don’t walk alone in dark places, but as long as they keep this in mind, they should have a beautiful stay.

Guatemala City is at a somewhat high elevation (about 1500 m) in the mountains (plus the air is very polluted in Zona 1), so if you are coming from a location near sealevel, you might wish to plan to take it easy and get extra rest on your first day while your body adjusts to the altitude.

Also, make sure that any food that you eat is well-washed and well-cooked, or you might get quite ill.

If you have electrical equipment that need 220-240V 50 Hz input instead of the country's standard 110V 60 Hz, you can find a transformer at Electronica Panamericana, 3 Avenida y 11 Calle, Esquina, Zona 9. They have various models with prices depending on how much power you require. Q230 for a 500-Watts transformer.

Also, in the smaller hotels/motels, the electrical outlets only take 2-pronged plugs. So, if you have a laptop, for example, you'll need a plug adapter that will allow you to utilize the 2-pronged outlets.